Canopy New York

My friend Erica Birmingham recently launched a project on Kickstarter.com inspired by her time in Beijing. She “noticed the great lengths to which Chinese women would go to shield themselves from the sun,” resorting to parasols and ski masks that were not only ugly, but “provided only partial protection.”

You can watch the introductory video here, but the basic concept behind the project is sun-protective fashion. Erica sensed there would be demand among health-conscious women in the US as well, and from there, Canopy New York was born.

While I admit that clothes made out of sun-protective fabrics hardly sounds stylish, the designs on display so far are simple, beautifully cut, and would daresay even appeal to the consumer without any concerns about UV rays. Even though I’m a gal who enjoys a good tan, I can see some of my paler friends with sensitive skin seriously appreciating apparel like this.

So far Canopy New York has already raised over 18K, but it needs 25K by June 2 to be funded. Whether you have a dollar or 1000 dollars to spare, if you believe in the concept, click here to back the project now.